For lunch, J. Betski’s would be the perfect place for something different. The eastern European menu attracted me, particularly the pierogies, as I’ve been preparing some at home recently. Unfortunately, the liverwurst pierogies with fennel marmalade and sage brown butter were no longer on the menu, and with a desire to try some house-made sausage, I went with a combination platter that included sauerkraut. This tilted my choice away from mushroom and cabbage as the filling, going instead with potato and cheese. Lightly pan-fried, the pair of them were delicious, the filling creamy and a little sour cream adding to the fatty delight. Both half-sausages were good, though I preferred the bite of the smoked kielbasa over the bratwurst, and I enjoyed alternating between two mustards.

Contemplating the dessert menu, I realized what I really wanted to round out the meal: the roasted beet salad from the regular menu. The toasted pumpkinseed oil was a perfect dressing for the greens, and I loved the tower of beet rounds layered with horseradish quark. The dish was perfectly savory with just the right amount of sweetness.

Slightly sick but in a dumpling mood, I took a light dinner at David’s Dumpling and Noodle Bar. I started with “David’s original half-fried dumplings” ($5.50), which the server said were filled with pork and cabbage. These were more like dense meatballs (with very little in the vegetable department) inside a house-made wrapper. The frying crisped them nicely without being overdone, but overall, the dumplings were quite heavy. I asked afterward about these, and was told that “we make them to satisfy American tastes.”

I thought some soup would help fight my cold, and my eye caught pork, pickled turnip, and ginger noodle soup on the menu. This warmed me up nicely, and hopefully the ginger helped, but the soup was also a bit on the heavy side. The restaurant itself is quite contemporary with the central bar area a focal point.

Pushing the envelope a bit, I decided that happy hour at a new place called Kapow! would be a less threatening way to sample some Asian dishes that would be new to a couple of my family members. Prices were very reasonable at three dollars per plate, and beer wouldn’t hurt!

Located at Mizner Park, Kapow! is a pretty hip place with an interesting mural as the showpiece. But taking advantage of Florida weather, we chose to eat outside, and worked our way through a good portion of the happy hour menu:

Shishitou peppers with crab & cheese stuffing, panko breading, and sweet and sour sauce

Seasonal pickles with apple cider vinegar

Crispy chicken skin with parmesan crisp and green beans

Pan-seared beef gyoza with sweet and sour sauce

Steamed buns with pork belly and pickled cucumbers, with grain mustard hoison sauce

Steamed buns with maitake mushroom, served with garlic soy sauce and scallions

Steamed shrimp dumplings (shumai) with chili pepper soy sauce and chives

Sauteed green beans with garlic and soy sauce

My family enjoyed a “different” kind of dining experience for them. My favorite dish was the shishitou peppers. Coming from Seattle, I found some of the food rather safe, though perhaps bold for Boca. (For example, there’s beef tongue on the regular menu, though that shouldn’t be so scary for the many retirees in the area who probably ate beef tongue as children.) I was tempted to try the ramen, given all the ramen-eating I’ve been doing, but $15 seemed expensive for a bowl, and reports (including photos I’ve seen) are that the broth is a deep brown, which is worrisome.

Cosi Duci is another place I picked, based on research on food message boards. I’d read that the set lunch offers good quality at a reasonable price, with three courses plus focaccia bread for just $10. (There are also a few items available at a la carte.) The day’s menu is available online each morning, though the day we went, it hadn’t yet posted when we walked out the door. Turns out we hit a meatless day, but the food (served family-style for the three of us) was ample and overall satisfying:

Focaccia bread

Split pea soup

Penne with vegetables

Eggplant rollatini

The focaccia and penne were a bit plain to me, and I’d describe the soup as bean more than pea. The eggplant was the highlight of the meal–very tasty. Cosi Duci is best-known as an Italian bakery, and I did enjoy the goodies I bought for later, including a cannoli with filling that was refreshingly not over-sweet, as well as raspberry linzer tarts.

Anxious to show off his appreciation of Asian food, my father took us to Shinju Japanese Buffet one night. This mini-chain draws big crowds enticed by the all-you-can-eat environment. You can pick out meats and vegetables for quick-cooking by wok or Mongolian grill. There are also endless steam tables full of General Tso’s-like dishes, and looking around at the tables (including my own), there were massive amounts of fried food being consumed. I focused on the sushi bar, filling my plate (and another, and another) with sushi and sashimi (ignoring the plentiful rolls), supplemented by miso soup and seaweed salad:

I must admit that the sushi, freshly prepared in view, was better than I expected, though I don’t want to think about the source of the seafood–or much of the other food, either. Even more frightening is how much the diners would partake of the dessert buffet after eating so much of the other food.

Although it’s the farthest of the three airports near Boca Raton, I like flying in or out of Miami because it usually enables us to eat one better meal before going to Boca. This time around, I wanted to find an easy stop between the airport and Boca, so some research led me to Red Light Little River. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Blu Motel (previously known as the Gold Dust Motel) in what has been known as the Red Light District of Miami. Upon landing after flying cross-country, outdoor seating along the river (we saw herons and were told we could see manatees during the day) felt right on a warm winter’s night, though it resulted in dark food photos.

We were pleased with the quality of the food and the fair pricing. A true trip to the south!

“Saints Will Win” gumbo and rice ($9, though not true, as the Saints lost)

Spinach salad with organic eggs, caramelized vidalia onions, and house-smoked bacon ($8)

Crab-stuffed anaheim pepper floating in vine-ripe tomato little neck clam stew ($15)

BBQ shrimp and dip bread ($10 for a half-order, and probably would be great with grits)

Whiskey raisin bread pudding with vanilla ice cream ($5)

The scene of the delicious crime

Since well before I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1999, I’ve wanted to visit Tofino on Vancouver Island. Looking at my Rand McNally road atlas, I’d long noticed that it’s the northernmost town on the Pacific Coast of the island that’s reachable by a red line, meaning a principal highway.

In fact, there don’t seem to be any other Pacific coastal towns to the north reachable by paved road; Winter Harbour at the upper end of the island is accessible by unpaved road, and it’s technically on Quatsino Sound, which leads in from the ocean.

Being on the Pacific and bestowed with many fine beaches, Tofino is a town full of “surfer dudes” (the total population is about 2,000), so the lifestyle is rather laid-back. Still, if you don’t surf, there are many other sensual pleasures to enjoy, even (or should I say especially) during inclement weather. So join me as we go to the remote town of Tofino, where we stamp this week’s Passport to Pleasure—a hedonistic quest for great food and good times for two, from nibbles to naughtiness.

Getting There

It’s possible to fly directly into Tofino (from a Canadian city), but to get a full sense of the “end of the road” location, you’ll want to drive from Victoria. The Victoria Clipper is an easy way to make the trip from Seattle to Victoria with an enjoyable three-hour ride, but another option is Kenmore Air. Leaving from Lake Union, you get a spectacular view of Seattle upon takeoff, and then it’s a quick and scenic one-hour flight until your seaplane lands in Victoria’s inner harbor. It’s a fun and romantic way to start your trip, especially if you’ve never taken a plane that’s landed on water.

Boarding the plane

Scenic view of Seattle

From Kenmore Air’s terminal in Victoria, it’s a very easy walk to National Car Rental, where you can pick up a car for the drive to Tofino. There are interesting stops you can make along the way, particularly for food (including True Grain Bread/Hilary’s Cheese at Cowichan Bay, and the Nanaimo Bar trail in Nanaimo), but it’s hard to pass up the previously discussed Fol Epi for the most amazing albacore tuna sandwiches.

If you can handle the temptation, hold off on eating those sandwiches until you reach Qualicum Beach (yes, it’s right near the source of those delicious scallops) where you can enjoy a picnic with a great view of the Strait of Georgia before crossing to the west coast of the island. You might also want to check out Coombs Old Country Market in Parksville if you want snacks or beverages for your ride, an interesting assortment of international foods to bring home, or a view of the goats on the store’s roof (really).

You’re now ready to take Route 4 to cut across the island. In wintery weather, keep a watch of the BCHighway Cams website for road conditions, as there are two tricky passes to traverse. (If you’re feeling the despair of snowy travel, breathe deep and enjoy the stunning “powdered sugar” look of the trees and mountains.) By the first, Port Alberni Summit, it’s worth a stop at Cathedral Grove. You can park for just a few minute to get a feel for the forest of towering Douglas fir trees, or if you have more time, take advantage of the network of hiking trails.

The town of Port Alberni is a possible mid-island stop of civilization that’s actually a port, at the head of Alberni Inlet. From there, the road gets more challenging as you approach Sutton Pass. At the start of the descent, you’ll feel like you’re in a car commercial, demonstrating aerodynamic properties as you navigate the road while it winds, with steep grades, as if plotted by a child or drunkard before finally reaching the coast. (There’s an information center just before the intersection.) Left takes you to Ucluelet, but you’re turning right (and staying on Route 4) for the remainder of the drive north to Tofino.

What to Do: Clayoquot Oyster Festival

Time it right, and the oyster lover in you can enjoy the annual Clayoquot Oyster Festival. Why a festival? Clayoquot Sound is a coveted cultivar of the bivalve, annually growing over 50,000 gallons of oysters. (Festival-goers consume over 8,000!) While the festival offers numerous activities, you’ll certainly want to check out the colorful Mermaid’s Ball. This is one of many times during the year when the townspeople of Tofino let their hair down, dressing in costumes and dancing the night away. Refreshments include an abundance of oysters served raw or barbequed in the “oyster pit,” and there are competitions for the likes of best costume and best oyster slurper.

Tofino locals shucking and showing off the fashion

Jellyfish lamps

In Tofino, love for oysters starts early

The culmination of the festival is the Oyster Gala, in which many of the locals shed their crazy costumes in favor of something more elegant. Here you’ll enjoy beer and wine tasting, along with more raw and barbequed oysters. But the highlight is that selected local restaurants serve samplings of the honored oysters prepared in diverse ways.

What Else to Do

You can find indoor activities if you like, from touring the Tofino Brewing Company to taking in regional art at the Eagle Aerie Gallery. But in Tofino, you want to take advantage of the terrific outdoors.

If you’re here for the Oyster Festival, Remote Passages puts on an educational oyster farm tour that will make you further appreciate what you’re eating. You’ll see the pristine waters of Lemmens Inlet, where lines of oysters (an eco-system unto themselves) are kept until it’s time to harvest. You’ll even get to sample the freshest oyster you can possibly imagine.

The oyster farm tour is a special event help just one day per year, but Remote Passages offers numerous other trips as they try to preserve the ecological value and timeless wonder of the sound. You can do a whale watch trip to spot gray whales (and more), a full-day hot springs trip (which includes a soak, a walk in an ancient rainforest, and wildlife spotting), and bear watch trip. Remote Passages also assists with sea kayaking trips.

Remote Passages takes you to the oyster farm

Clean water and a beautiful day

Oysters have their own eco-system

As fresh as can be

As you might expect, there are fantastic hiking trails both in and out of Pacific Rim National Park. The Schooner Trail, one kilometer in each direction, is at the north end of Long Beach, and is especially good at low tide. (Knowledge of tides is important in Tofino!) Or try Combers Beach Trail, which winds through Sitka spruce forest and reaches a beach where you can see trees stunted by winds and the ocean’s salt. Choose just about any beach in the area and you’ll cherish views that are well worth the effort of traveling to Tofino.

The fauna of Tofino

South of Tofino, in Ucluelet, you can take a walk on the wild side on the Wild Pacific Trail. The windy trails reveal spectacular scenery as you go through coastal temperate rainforest with take in views of Barkley Sound to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west (and south). There’s a 2.6 kilometer loop that is easy and picturesque.

View from the Wild Pacific Trail

Animal or vegetable?

Maybe the main reason to visit late fall or winter is storm watching. It sounds strange to travel so far for a weather experience you might dislike at home, but the powerful beauty of the sights and sounds of the wind and waves is captivating—whichever side of the window you’re on.

Beach view

Moments later

Looking down

A few minutes later

One minute later

Where to Stay I: Long Beach Lodge

If you go bananas for beachfront views, Long Beach Lodge Resort is hard to beat. The lodge has 41 luxury rooms, most with ocean views. The staff is warm and friendly, and amenities include waterproof rain jackets to help insure you’ll talk advantage of beach walks right in your backyard. You’ll be tempted to explore the beach before or after breakfast, during the day, and especially in the evening to watch as the sun sets. If you’re cold or tired, take in the view from your soaker tub.

Wake to a buffet breakfast (included in your rate, with other meals available at additional charge) in the scenic Great Room, where you can linger over coffee while watching the beach come to life.

Long Beach Lodge suite

The view from the room

Looking back at the Lodge

The breakfast buffet will help you wake up

The Great Room at the Lodge, where you can enjoy your meals

The beach in the morning

Sunset on the sand

A last look at the waves rolling in

A couple enjoys an evening kiss

Where to Stay II: The Wickaninnish Inn

Just north of Long Beach is Chesterman Beach, which provides a dramatic setting for the spectacular Wickanninish Inn. Each of the 75 guest rooms and suites boasts a fireplace, soaker tub, and balcony that offers ocean or beach views. The Wick, as it’s affectionately called, is a Relais & Châteaux property, coveting the “5 C’s”: charm, courtesy, character, cuisine, and calm.

This is an elegant and yet unstuffy property, with lots to explore. The Lookout Library has historic artifacts, a DVD library, and dramatic Chesterman Beach views. The Driftwood Lounge is a relaxing place for breakfast or a snack throughout the day. A fitness center will help you burn calories, though there are walks right outside, including a rainforest beach loop trail.

The Wick is home to the luxurious Ancient Cedars Spa. This is a full-service spa that offers extensive body and aesthetic treatments. You can indulge in a couples massage or more extensive package, perhaps in the “Rainforest Haven” or “Cedar Sanctuary.” There’s a relaxing eucalyptus steam room, and you’ll always remember sitting outside, even in the cold, wrapped in blankets with tea while enjoying a foot soak and forest/water view before your main treatment.

When you return to your room after dinner, you’ll appreciate the turndown service and the sultry sounds of Diana Krall on your Bose system. Do you throw on provided raingear and take a romantic walk on the beach to experience the pounding surf? Head to the double-soaker tub? Snuggle in front of the fireplace and picture window? You can do all three, perhaps in that order.

A spectacular setting for a hotel

A luxurious room at the Wickaninnish Inn

The view from the room

A chance to lounge…in the Lounge

The view from the spa

Surfers enjoying the water

Romantic, stunning strolls on Chesterman Beach, even during storms

Where to Eat: The Pointe Restaurant

The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn was built meticulously so that, anchored on the rocks overlooking Chesterman Beach, diners can appreciate a 240-degree view of the pounding Pacific surf. There’s even a speaker system (with microphones outside) that enables diners to feel like they’re outside, in the midst of a major storm.

Some settings are forever memorable. This is one of them.

The food is fabulous, too. The cuisine is built upon coastal seafood, the island’s farm-fresh ingredients, and a discriminating selection of Pacific Northwest Wines.

Scallop amuse bouche

Medicine Farms organic winter greens with endive, frozen Okanagan grapes, almond & ginger granola, and vanilla & lemon yogurt

Qualicum scallop sashimi with Meyer lemon, grapefruit, and pomegranate

Cumin chicken broth with braised chicken, beans, coriander, and lime

Long Pepper duck breast with buckwheat spätzle, smoked plum, anise, radicchio, and orange

Smoked albacore tuna with squash boulanger, pancetta, endive, and brown butter jus

Sauvignon blanc-poached Bartlett pears with spiced brioche, Wisers Whiskey candies, hops ice cream, chocolate paint, and micro-greens (Note: Pastry Chef Matt Wilson offers both conventional and unconventional dessert menus. I wish my appetite would have allowed me to explore more of the unconventional dessert menu, which includes savory elements and other twists. In the future, hopefully…)

Where to Eat: Spotted Bear Bistro

At Spotted Bear Bistro, Vince Fraissange is at the helm behind the hand-milled, salvaged cedar bar that fronts the open kitchen. Fraissange, who worked previously at La Crocodile and Lumiere, and sailed the world as a private chef on yachts, is now grounded in Tofino taking advantage of seasonal and local ingredients. You’ll see this play out in his tasty take on pho, which includes pork and prawn patties, as well as smoked albacore tuna. Albacore plays the starring role in a perfect balanced tartare spiked with soy truffle vinaigrette. This intimate, friendly bistro features a simple menu; look for one soup, one salad, a pizza and pasta, and some protein offerings, like pan-seared Fraser Valley duck breast in various preparations. Best bet is to turn control over to the kitchen in going with a four-course tasting menu for $60.

Tartare: Albacore tuna, cucumber, soy truffle vinaigrette, warm toasts

Pho: Vietnamese style noodle soup, smoked Albacore tuna, pork & prawn patties,
fresh herbs, sprouts, lime

Duck: crispy pan-seared Fraser valley breast, potatoes, leeks, confit short rib ragout, and port wine gastrique

Dessert: Chocolate pot du creme

Chef Vince Fraissange in the kitchen

Where to Eat: Other

There are many places to try fish and chips in Tofino. Some say Shelter does it best.

Fish and chips: beer-battered lingcod, Shelter house-cut fries, basil-mint coleslaw, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar

Pacific lingcod burger: lingcod fillet, basil-mint coleslaw, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and onion ring

SoBo stands for Sophisticated Bohemian. This food truck turned restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients to serve diverse dishes in a cheery environment.

Inside SoBo

Smoked wild fish chowder: wild salmon in a creamy dill broth

Speaking of food trucks, Tacofino is so popular that its operators applied for (and received) one of the coveted positions of new food trucks in Vancouver. The Tofino location still draws long lines for its delicious soup, tacos, burritos, and, of course, the sinfully delicious chocolate Diablo cookies, spiked with cayenne pepper.

Lining up for food

Even when it’s cold, Tacofino will warm you up

Up close with a burrito and taco

Note:

• Clayoquot Sound photo (second from top), Alberni Highway photo, and Clayoquot intertidal fauna photo courtesy of Tourism Vancouver Island – ChrisCheadle.com.
• Long Beach Lodge Resort photos (suite, “Looking back at the lodge,” breakfast buffet, and Great Room) courtesy of Long Beach Lodge Resort, Tofino.
• Wickaninnish Inn photos (“spectacular setting,” “luxurious room,” spa, Chesterman Beach” courtesy of The Wickaninnish Inn, as are the “Lounge” photo (taken by Chris Pouget) and the “surfers” photo (taken by Wayne Barnes).

Planning a return to Victoria, I wondered: Would I find bliss in more wintery weather?

Snow, ice, rain, and cold weather couldn’t keep me from again enjoying my journey. With thanks to Kenmore Air and Victoria Clipper for fighting adverse weather, my partner and I had another great getaway with wonderful walks, spectacular food, and moments of relaxation. The secret of success seemed to always boil down to six letters. I’ll explain more as we go back to Victoria, where we stamp this week’s Passport to Pleasure—a hedonistic quest for great food and good times for two, from nibbles to naughtiness.

Six Letters: Spa Day

Our base was the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, a 64-room hotel conveniently located in walking distance of both Kenmore and the Clipper, as well as many of the major sites. This makes it easy to stop by your room to dry off or warm up in the midst of your outdoor activities, whether a horse-drawn carriage ride or a walk through Abkhazi Garden, “a garden that love built.”

The Magnolia is a good place for indoor relaxation, especially if you arrange one of their Date Night packages. If you “Declare a Spa Date,” your one-night stay will include a 30-minute Spa Magnolia couples massage, chocolate fondue for two in the spa lounge or your room, and deluxe continental breakfast when you wake up in the morning.

You can customize your spa experience and make it a longer stay if you’d like, as there’s a wide range of services available. You might want to take the opportunity to try a hot stone massage. You and your partner will relax side-by-side as your practitioners use heated basalt stones (incredibly smooth) from Vancouver Island’s shores to relax your minds and bodies. This treatment is especially beneficial for increased circulation, lymphatic drainage, and relief of tension.

Spa waiting room (Photo courtesy of Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria, BC)

Hot stones for treatment

Guest room with a view (Photo courtesy of Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria, BC)

Magnolia Hotel & Spa by night (Photo courtesy of Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria, BC)

Six Letters: Lunch(e)s

Well, it’s not the word “lunch” that’s six letters, but the coincidence that so many of Victoria’s best lunch places contain exactly six letters. For example, last time around, I raved about Devour, which continues to be an excellent dining destination.

Fol Epi remains a remarkable favorite. The croissants are good (though they fall short of what you’ll find in Paris). Stunning are the albacore tuna sandwiches. (It’s on the right, with a wild sockeye and tomato sandwich on the left.) You’ll never want another tuna sandwich again, as the bread is delicious and the tuna chunks are spiked with a little wasabi:

PiCNiC is a fun little soup, sandwich, and salad stop close to the hotel. Fill out a tiny little form to order a freshly made sandwich, or pick from the day’s specials, which will also include a couple of soups and a salad or two. You’re free to sample the soups and to do combinations with half or whole portions. The food is delicious.

Many people stop in for a coffee (and, if early, a breakfast bite), but be sure to check out the other drinks. The house-made ginger ale is delightful, and the lavender lemonade has a huge following. And, yes, there are picnic tables (orange) outside.

Curried chicken with avocado on a baguette, along with chorizo, kale, and potato soup

A perky salad that included red lentils and pomegranate seeds, along with a “chef’s choice” sandwich of Calabrese salami, oven-roasted turkey breast, mozzarella, tomato, avocado, mixed greens, roasted zucchini, goat cheese, and veggie spread

Eclectic is the best word to describe the menu at Relish Food and Coffee. Chef Jamie Cummins, formerly at Sooke Harbor House, is playful in the kitchen, making most everything in-house, from breads to bacon and granola to gnocchi. You’ll relish espresso and baked goods in the morning in the bright, open space with bold art on the walls.

Relish’s lunch offers soup, salads, and sandwiches, but you might also find ramen (house-made noodles, of course), banh mi, and tagliatelle on the colorful menu board which changes daily and is subject to squiggles as items inevitably sell out. Diverse ingredients like sauerkraut, kabocha squash, and ancho chiles are likely to appear on your dishes. Be sure to check the side dishes, visible through the showcase. (Visit Relish’s Facebook page for a current photo of the colorful chalkboard displaying the daily menu.)

A bowl of albacore tuna balls with bok choy, fingerling potatoes, and a poached egg in kimchi broth

Banh mi with pork belly, house pork terrine, pickles, cilantro, and kimchi cucumber

This beet (including the greens) and poached pear salad is terrific

The day’s menu

Six Letters: Sip (of) Tea

There’s something romantic about strolling through Victoria’s Chinatown, the oldest in Canada. Take photos of your partner in Fan Tan Alley, which will offer some interesting backdrops. As in any Chinatown, the little markets are fun, as you and your companion can discover foods that may be completely new to you. There are some more modern stores to explore; the food lover in you will enjoy Nood, which describes its kitchenware, furniture, and more as “new objects of desire.”

While in Chinatown, enjoy some alternatives to Afternoon Tea. Silk Road (like The Fairmont Empress, discussed in the last Victoria report) is in the area, but for something different, how about two contrasting experiences right across from each other? At Venus Sophia, you can sit in the quaint tea room and have some vegetarian snacks:

Or, across the street, visit Fan Tan Café for bubble tea and some far-from-vegetarian bites:

Six Letters: Skinny(Tato)

Okay, so “Skinny” is just the first part of the restaurant name. The full name is Skinnytato Polish Restaurant, and Katherina Koper and her crew cook the meat and potatoes of her homeland, including latkes (potato pancakes), which one of her children called a “skinny tato.” The small ones are tasty:

The name sounds funny, but this is a special restaurant that’s a relatively hidden gem in Victoria. While host/owners Greg and Katherina Koper will make you feel like you’re in their home, the setting of this small restaurant with its red walls is actually romantic in its old world charm, especially after dark:

The food is fun for a change of pace, and you can get Polish beer to pair with it. Here is an extra-large potato pancake stuffed with goulash (there are other choices), which comes with four small salads, one of which is now called “skinnytato” (made with shredded cabbage, carrots, apples, and onion):

Another option is a combination plate with a variety of pierogies, cabbage rolls, and a Polish sausage:

Six Letters: Oak Bay

Oak Bay is one of the most interesting (and oldest) neighborhoods of Victoria. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can walk from the hotel, but it’s easily accessible by bus if you don’t have a car. Once there, you’ll want to take a walk to the marina, where you’ll enjoy scenic views of the Pacific Ocean, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and perhaps Mount Baker in the distance.

In Oak Bay Village, you can visit many boutiques, art galleries, and bookstores. To whet your appetite, you might want to stop at Ottavio Italian Bakery & Deli to sample some of the delicacies.

But unless you’re spending a full day in Oak Bay, don’t fill up, because you’re having dinner at one of the best restaurants in Victoria: Vis-à-Vis Wine & Charcuterie Bar. Vis-à-Vis (that’s almost six letters) is a cozy spot that serves spectacular food. Your server will provide thoughtful recommendations of wine to pair with each course. You can even get one-inch pours if you’re pacing yourself to sample as a large number of the many BC wines available.

The menu is divided into sections that include “hot,” “cold,” “fondue,” and “finger food.” Flavor combinations are fascinating (for example, seared scallop with salted licorice glaze) and the wide variety of offerings is tempting. In a word, the food is delicious, and you’ll find this a fascinating and romantic place for your first or final food adventure in Victoria. Some of the dishes:

Organic Cimmaron romaine with lamb bacon, croutons, crème fraiche, and garlic scape dressing

Hot-smoked trout with rosemary crème fraiche, crispy sea lettuce, and trout roe

Tempura lollipop duck wing with persimmon & habanero sauce

Smoked bacon custard brulee with roasted squash, baby kale, orange, crispy ham, and pumpkin seed praline (perhaps the most memorable dish I ate in Victoria!)

Grilled octopus with squid ink fettucine, salsa verde, and chorizo

Smoked sablefish confit with caraway choucroute, 67-degree egg yolk, pomme puree, and lemon confit

A little taste of bison heart from the charcuterie menu, along with an even smaller taste of deliciously stinky Langres cheese from France

Churros with maple bacon sugar and white chocolate apple sauce, perfectly paired with Lustau East Indian Solera sherry

Six-Letter Conclusion about Victoria: Superb!

Now, back to October, when my first trip took me through Oakland, and afforded me the opportunity to try Hawker Fare. It was fantastic. It’s reasonably priced with quick service, and the food is bold and bright. I started with this green papaya salad:

And then took my server’s suggestion in ordering the “24hr Pork Belly ‘tom khem’ style with five spice, sweet soy and preserved vegetable mustard.” I like that the restaurant includes authentic ingredients like dried shrimp and preserved vegetables, and this pork belly with rich, filling, and completely fulfilling:

Bright and early the next morning I headed to Atlanta. This would be a very quick stay, but I managed one meal at Holeman and Finch Public House. This is a very popular place, and even at 11pm I had to wait nearly an hour for a table. Bar noise spills over to the small dining area, but when my food arrived, I was at peace, as the menu offers many intriguing possibilities that appeal to an offal lover like me. First, though, some succotash with sweet peppers and vidalia onions–a rich vegetable start to the meal:

Next up: pan fried-rabbit livers with pole beans and pickled peaches, an interesting and fun combination of ingredients:

The “Parts” part of the menu had bone marrow, veal sweetbreads, and more (plus, I was told that the house hot dog is something special), but I chose the veal brains with black butter as a very hearty way to end this delicious dinner:

The day after returning to Seattle, it was off to the Yakima Valley, with that experience documented here. From there, I had a quick trip to eastern Oregon, which included a nice stop at the Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Co. in Pendleton. This seems to be a perfect place to enjoy a meal and some live music on selected nights. My stay, though, would be brief (and without live music, though I was pleased to hear Peter Himmelman on the speakers) but enjoyable as I noshed on this “beast” sandwich (roast beef with pepperjack, garlic, sweet onions, and stoneground mustard on sourdough) and a Caesar salad:

It was back to the east coast the following week, with a meal at Zafra in Hoboken, New Jersey. This cute little Cuban Latino restaurant gets good reviews. What I ordered turned out to be more potato-heavy than I intended, with those dishes a little sweeter than expected, such as the classic patatas bravas (in spicy tomato and smoked paprika sauce):

For the main course, I got steered toward the enchiladas de pollo (chicken-filled enchiladas with a green tomatillo- hoja santa sauce, served with refried beans and Mexican crema). Like the other dishes I tried, it was good, though not amazing:

Most disappointing about the experience was being told I could try one of their acclaimed spiced hot drinking chocolates (apparently very rich) at their little shop just around the corner. But while that shop had chocolate bars for sale, they said that the restaurant was the place for drinking chocolate. Frustrated, I gave up.

I’d find better Latino food the next day at Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk, Connecticut. This is a sweet little spot doing a bustling business–testimony to its quality. Overwhelmed by arepa and empanada choices (including some sweet choices, like chocolate & plantain), I ultimately ordered a lunch platter with a pernil (Venezuelan pork roast) arepa, chicken liver empanada, ceviche, rice and beans, and avocado:

Valencia was a fun stop on the way to Rhode Island, where I had some late night work. Hours later, looking for a snack to hold me over, I read good reviews about a place called Pick Pockets in Smithfield. Good food in a gas station? Why not! Here’s the interior:

The friendly workers described my many choices, and I happily settled upon a “pocket” with lamb and falafel, loaded with toppings and spiked with spicy hot sauce:

The next day took me on a long road trip to Binghamton, New York, where I was faced again with lack of time for a proper meal. Due to the September flooding that devastated the city, hotel choices were limited, and I found myself doing an unusual stay at Traditions at the Glen, situated on a golf course. I took my meal in the tavern, and had one of the most nondescript burgers and fries:

After brief time back in Seattle, I headed back to Atlanta, this time with time to have perhaps my best road trip meal of the second half of the year. Online, I scouted out a place called One Eared Stag, a fairly new restaurant in a funky part of the city. First of all, the space is gorgeous. You walk into a fun little bar area, and then turn into a very open dining room with a communal/large group table in the center. The bookcase sports the best collection of cookbooks. And the food…

I started with confit chicken wings cooked in duck fat, served with aged (year-old), cured hot sauce and buttermilk dressing:

Next, a beautiful plating of candela fuoco radishes with whipped lardo and radish top gremolata. This seems almost silly to order, but the radishes were bursting with flavor, with that lardo adding intense richness:

As for an entree, I was torn. As at Holeman and Finch, there was a housemade hot dog that looked promising. A BLT with pork fat mayo and a fried egg called to me, as did a lighter option of a Virginia lump crab roll. I watched a country fried pork chop with squash succotash and tomato jam come out of the kitchen, and was almost sold. But I went with what was at the top of the list: “pork & beans” made with belly, chorizo, and Italian white beans, topped with a housemade chicharron:

Stunningly delicious. Someone said something about dessert, but I was simply too stuffed, and satisfied, to go further.

I was hungry late that night, so I stopped at Penang for a comforting bowl of Asian noodles. It was minutes before closing time, but they were happy to send out Penang kari mee (noodles in spicy lemongrass-coconut curry with shredded chicken, shrimp, and “oiler” tofu) that hit the spot:

I had a weekend at home and then another quick trip east to finish the month. Cleveland meant hope for a chance to check out a Michael Symon restaurant, but with very limited time (an all-too-familiar theme), the best I could manage was his B Spot Burgers chain. These are upscale burgers in a casual setting, so I settled in with a “Yo!” burger with fried salami, coppa, hot peppers, provolone, and shasha hot sauce (and a side of Lola fries with sea salt and rosemary):

The burger was decent, though the fries were forgettable. I was tempted to try a vanilla bean apple pie bacon shake, but that seemed over-the-top. I did avail myself of the pickle bar with lots of interesting offerings, and finished up my meal and another year on the road:

And then I ate tong-po pork, which turned out to be more pork belly than I imagined:

This dish was well-cooked, but simply too heavy for one person (me, who still managed to eat most of it).

I was in Saratoga Springs the next morning, which meant a visit to Mrs. London’s. I’ve raved about this place in the past, and this time I enjoyed a croissant sandwich:

The night meant a business dinner. I was taken to Blu Stone Bistro, in a little hotel near the airport. Blu Stone is going for the swanky feeling, but as I was there quite early, I never got a feel for its clientele. The food was okay…nothing offensive, but nothing to write home about, starting with this beet salad:

I also had a small portion of the scallops with confetti rice:

On to Ithaca, my home for six years. I met a friend at the Ithaca restaurant rated highest by Urbanspoon in the moderately priced category: Just a Taste. It’s a place for tapas and wine, but after just a taste of a few dishes, I felt dissatisfied. Flavors were flat, with the food uninspired and uninspiring. We started with summer squash sauteed in brown butter with garlic, pecans, and romano cheese:

Moved on to wild mushroom ragout with grilled sourdough bread and herbed goat cheese:

And then ordered housemade Italian cheese sausage with Calabrese olive orzo salad:

Before calling it quits. Maybe it was an off-night. I was sad to leave, as it looked like it had a lot of potential as a pleasant place to drink and nosh.

The next day would be better, as I hit an old favorite, the Glenwood Pines, on the way out of town. I’m sure it had been at least ten years since my last visit (could it be more like twenty?), but the place hasn’t changed a bit. Perched high above the lake, I resisted the temptation of a bloody mary (they’re great there) and ordered a Pinesburger (a six-ounce cheeseburger on French bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, and thousand island dressing). Still a mess to eat, and still delicious:

(And, yes, I was again watching tennis on the television!)

I then drove to Geneseo, where I decided to follow up my lunchtime cheeseburger with some dinnertime pizza. Mama Mia’s was awaiting, and was surprisingly good. I ordered a couple of slices and settled in with New York-style happiness. The cheese was slightly chewy (in a good way), the crust fine, and the sauce to my liking:

The following week, I found myself in Oklahoma for what’s become an annual business trip. It was a hectic time, and I found myself with just minutes to get dinner. BBQ comes quickly, so I stepped in to Bad Brad’s Bar-B-Q in Stillwater. Interesting dining room:

Here I got the usual–pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw, and baked beans–and, as usual, it was just so-so. I found myself constantly reaching for the BBQ sauce to amp up the flavor.

I spent part of the final week of the month in Michigan. Not Detroit. Not Ann Arbor (where I would be able to go to Zingerman’s Deli). Instead, I was in central and western Michigan, where I’d have to forage the best I could for food.

First night was in Alma, where I paid a visit to Pizza Sam. Seems that the owner stands by the door, surveying the scene without even a smile. But the servers were friendly. There’s a bit of a secret menu at Pizza Sam, and I didn’t get it quite right. I remembered to get the double crust, but failed to get it cooked on a screen. There’s also some option about getting spices baked in, or not. I’m not sure how the screen would have played out, but I was fairly satisfied with the pizza:

The next night I was in Mount Pleasant, and in the midst of a trip that mostly offered pizza, Mexican, and Chinese restaurants, I found a little place called Shin’s Korean Restaurant. The person helping me spoke very little English, but was pleased that I was familiar with bibimpap. It was a little on the basic side, and I would have liked more banchan offerings, but overall it wasn’t bad:

Day three of the Michigan tour takes me through Grand Rapids, where I make a stop at El Granjero Mexican Grill. Especially hungry, I order the alambre, a combination of steak, chicken, and spicy pork with melted cheese, sliced onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos. I also get a side order of guacamole for the chips. This is a grand pig-out, but the food is actually pretty good (with many of the customers Mexican):

My last meal in Michigan is a quick one in Lansing at a Chinese restaurant called Little Panda. Yes, “Panda” is a red flag that this might not be the best meal, but it’s cheap and I’m hungry. I get the Szechuan spicy beef, complete with the egg roll, old rice, and something that’s supposed to be hot and sour soup:

One can easily make the case that the dish wasn’t truly Szechuan, spicy, or perhaps even beef. But it filled me up and got me back to Seattle, closer to good Chinese food.

Next stop was New Jersey, and a similar dilemma. Good food nearby in New York City, but no time to go. Asian food again did the trick, as I ate this spicy pig’s intestine with red bean curd at Hunan Noodle House in Parsippany:

Not nearly the quality of what I can find here in Seattle, but the pork blood cubes made me happy.

I’d get much happier the next morning, as I flew out of JFK instead of Newark and DID have time for a food detour. After much research, I decided to go to Uncle Zhou Restaurant in Elmhurst, NY (red awning, street level):

This place may have served my favorite dish of 2011. Certainly my favorite low-cost dish.

I started with a plate of 9 delicious, homemade lamb dumplings ($3):

And then, the piece de resistance: lamb hand-drawn noodle soup ($5.75), which features the wide noodles you see in the photo, plus glass noodles, dried tofu “noodles,” and seaweed “noodles,” and is full of fabulous textures and flavors:

I wish I had a better photo, but trust me, this soup is spectacular.

From there, I flew to Buffalo, where I paid a visit to Duff’s Famous Wings:

I sat in Duff’s listening to Eddie Money, Journey, Billy Squier, and other sounds of the eighties, sipping my soda and awaiting my wings. Normally I’d go for the hottest level, but I didn’t want to take any chances on the road, so I settled for “Superhot.” Pretty good. But I think good wing-eating is done with a companion over a beer. Maybe I’ll hit up Anchor Bar next time. It’s been at least 10 years since I was there, but I have good memories.

For some reason, I didn’t have a camera with me when I flew to Grand Forks at the end of August. If I did, I’d show you the burger I ate at Blue Moose Bar and Grill in East Grand Forks (over the border in Minnesota). I asked my server to make a recommendation, and got my burger with peanut butter, bacon, and a fried egg. Didn’t I learn my lesson from the recent pancake episode? Again, it was good, but a little bit of a sticky mess. Still, I was happy, especially as I positioned myself between two televisions to watch a Yankees baseball game and a U.S. Open tennis match.

The plane-change in Chicago was due to a trip to Columbus, Ohio. Here I enjoyed lunch at Skillet. (Urban. Rustic. Food.) A really fabulous little place doing food right. Along with spicy tomato soup with gorgonzola picante, I had an amazing fried “bologna” sandwich made with griddled Daniele mortadella on brioche, with grainy mustard, smoked provolone, and spicy pickled giardiniera:

From here, a stop at Pistacia Vera for some great bakery treats. In addition to sampling a macaron and a kouign amman, I bought a couple of things to bring back to Seattle, but they became emergency rations for my flight delay the next morning. A cheerful little place:

Later that day, I was excited to visit North Market with all its merchants and eateries. Still stuffed from lunch, and with thoughts of dessert dancing in my head, I figured a quick bowl of pho would do the trick. This one, from Lan Viet, was just okay, but I enjoyed sitting at the counter and talking with the workers and the other customers:

And then it was time for ice cream at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. I’d heard a lot about Jeni’s, with its local mission and pride in quality. There are lots of interesting flavors, and after the worker indulged me in allowing me to sample most of them, I settled on one scoop of cherry lambic sorbet (bright and delicious) and one scoop of corn syrup custard with whiskey and pecans (rich, sending me into a complete food coma):

A few days later, I was in Syracuse and made a quick stop at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q:

I feel like I’m back in college in Ithaca when I visit Dinosaur, partly due to the proximity, and partly due to the tunes, as The Who and The Kinks and such play on the speakers. Good vibe and good food, as I went all-in on my pork-and-chicken platter:

I flew home from upstate New York via Newark, and absolutely famished at the airport, settled for an early morning Smashburger. (small. sizzle. savor.) It’s convenient, it’s fast, and it’s perfectly mediocre (pictured is the All-American, with American cheese):

Newark needs a Tortas Frontera. Actually, most airports do.

Nothing fancy, but a way to get some much-needed vegetables while traveling. The naan needs work.

My host school took me to dinner that evening to a place called Buddy’s Italian Restaurant. They insisted I start with a salad, which was a massive affair:

Actually, that salad came with my entree: Italian-style ravioli with meatballs. The ravioli are made in-house, so they ask patience while preparing. Very rustic, with the dough too thick. That said, it was fun to sop up the sauce with bread:

I was amazed as everyone dug into their huge portions, with most people taking home leftovers. This enabled room for dessert, with the specialty being carmelo, an “Italian dessert topped with whipped cream & sliced almonds” that was, well, sweet:

My final trip of the month was down south to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Scrambling behind schedule, I grabbed bites of BBQ when I could, starting at The Original Ridgewood Barbeque in Bluff City, Tennessee:

Vinyl booths, local ladies waiting tables, and interesting characters coming in and out of the restaurant. I went for a platter that came with the requisite baked beans, cole slaw, and dinner rolls:

The meat was a little on the dry side, so I had to keep adding sauce, which was on the sweet side. I liked the little crock of baked beans, though I also had to spike that with some hot sauce. Just plain and simple BBQ here.

Next up was Red Pig Bar-B-Q in Johnson City, Tennessee. This time, the slaw came on the (pulled pork) sandwich. The styrofoamed baked beans weren’t as good as the ones at Ridgewood:

Both places were okay for cheap eats experiences. With more time, I’d try to search out better BBQ.

From the “Fried” section, I had to try the pig’s ear with crispy kale, pickled cherry peppers, and fried egg:

Then, from the “Smears” section, this pork neck bone gravy with Calabro ricotta was heavenly:

By the way, I was solo, but having no trouble eating everything, including all the bread. The food was THAT good. Next, from the “A la Plancha” part of the menu, this absolutely succulent milk-braised pork shoulder with mashed potatoes:

Finally, from the same section (for my “dessert”), my favorite dish of the lunch (along with the neck bone gravy): pig’s tails braised in balsamic:

Maybe my biggest lunch ever, but I kept thinking, “When will I be back in Chicago, and as good as this is, won’t I want to try another of the many restaurants here?” So I ate and ate and ate. Then walked down Michigan Avenue to do some work. Would you believe, though, that before I jumped on a train back to the airport, I stopped at Epic Burger? Someone recommended it, so I got the basic burger with cheese, and it was okay (good ingredients, made to order, and decent price)–though not quite epic:

After a full day of flying, I had to take off the next morning for a lecture on the Pacific coast in Aberdeen, Washington. There I made a stop at Anne Marie’s Cafe for coffee and a light lunch: tomato soup and half of an egg salad sandwich. Not nearly as exotic as The Purple Pig! But friendly enough folks (including the locals), and a wireless signal while sitting in the window with the sun shining:

Staying in state, I was off to the Willows Inn where I hosted a Sexy Feast dinner, but first a stop in Bellingham. Without any real food plans, a walk-around led to brunch at Little Cheerful Cafe. At this busy and funky corner cafe, my partner indulged her love of potatoes by ordering a big plate of California Browns with spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and jack cheese (”you don’t need tight shorts, a fake tan, and an 8×10 glossy headshot to enjoy these”):

Faced with a list of pancake possibilities, I threw caution to the wind and let my server pick a favorite. Here I present my chocolate chip and peanut butter pancakes:

They were interesting to try and fun to eat–once. Coffee, please, as I needed the bitterness to balance the sweetness.

A few days later I flew to D.C., where some friends and I went to Jose Andres’ Jaleo in Arlington, Virginia. As these friends are vegetarians, Jaleo was a perfect place in offering a number of non-meat items. The experience was much as I expected: swanky and sophisticated, with lots of small plates to share. With good, clean flavors, the food was quite tasty, even if not as gritty as I usually prefer. Here’s some of what we tried, starting with apple and fennel salad with Manchego cheese, walnuts, and sherry dressing:

Soup (sadly, I can’t remember what type):

Spinach:

A look at the table, including a Spanish omelet/tortilla in the foreground:

Potatoes:

I had to try at least one dish that wasn’t vegetarian:

For one of our desserts, we ordered flan:

The next day, I was up in Boston, hungry for late night eats. First stop was Myers + Chang. I would have loved to explore the eclectic menu, but this was just for a quick peek and an “amuse” of $1 Island Creek oysters and PBRs. The atmosphere was fun and the food intriguing. Starving, I did succumb to temptation and ordered one dish (can anyone identify this, especially as the photo suffers from the low-light conditions?), which only whet my appetite for a future visit:

Then it was on to the main destination of the night: Coppa. I knew it would be too late for the regular menu, but there’s plenty on the late night menu to satisfy, starting with crostini with beef tongue and beef heart:

Flavors were bold and bright, so I knew this would be a great meal. Next up: spaghetti alla carbonara with bacon, uni, and egg:

How about some wood oven-roasted pig’s tail with mostarda glaze:

My favorite dish of the evening, slightly reminiscent of what I had a week earlier at The Purple Pig in Chicago, was trippa alla Collinsville: tripe, beef tongue, and pork belly stew with squash and mozzarella. Wow. Three of my favorite meats in one ridiculously rich stew:

Again, I used all of the bread to scoop up every last bite of that delicious dish. Fabulous!